Stand by for great savings
Winner - Ecotek: Ecotek are the people behind the Standby Saver, which was the first product to receive approval from all five dragons on BBC's Dragons' Den.
Standby Saver is a six-way electrical extension with two switchable sockets.
It was developed by the Barlborough Links-based company in direct response to the mounting problem of wasted standby energy in the world today.
In the UK alone, the Energy Saving Trust estimates that 570 million worth of electricity is generated purely to service the standby power used by the nation's TVs, stereos, VCR and DVD players.
It cuts 100 per cent of power to TVs, stereos etc, while the USB version does a similar job with computers and printers.
The flexibility of the device also allows DVD and video appliances set to record on timers to be left switched on when required.
There is no internal battery, so no environmental issues arise from the disposal, and while there are competitors in the market, none offer the ease of installation, coupled with 100 per cent saving of standby power.
At the time the nomination was received orders had been received for 270,000 units, with many more at the final negotiation stage.
Finalist - Bag It Don't Bin It: Bag It Don't Bin It provides business and organisations with an environmentally-friendly packaging solution to promote their brand at minimal cost.
The Burngreave-based company has seized the initiative to develop an eco-friendly business solution to an international environmental problem.
It helps businesses replace the national trend for using disposable plastic bags with branded, re-usable cotton or jute bags which are made from sustainable crops, do not use fossil fuels at all and are also totally biodegradable.
Company director Julia Gash also organised Sheffield's first Eco-Business Summit in 2008, bringing together business leaders, politicians and others to brainstorm green ideas.`
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Saturday 04 February 2012
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